Charles City women start YouTube cooking show for kids

To The Press

Jayne Stowe and Ann Troge, both Charles City natives, have started their own YouTube Channel cooking show for kids of all ages entitled, “Now We’re Cookin’!”

Over the years both Stowe and Troge have been heavily involved in the arts in Charles City through singing and/or acting in musicals. For years they have also both members of the Charles City Arts Council, Stony Point Players and/or the Charles City Singers.

So why a cooking show for kids “of all ages?”

A mutual friend, Sally Dougherty, asked both women to participate in a first grade YouTube video after the COVID-19 crisis closed the schools in March of this year.

Troge read excerpts from her children’s book, “I Like How I Feel When I Giggle and Squeal.” Stowe conducted an art project and taught children how to make Rice Krispie bars.

After viewing the videos, Stowe’s mother, Jean Groesbeck, said, “That’s what you two should be doing is a cooking show for kids!” It all took off from there.

Stowe, a flight attendant for American Airlines, and Troge, a local attorney, were in need of a project to let their creative juices flow. Both women are creative and artistic, but their respective professions don’t always lend themselves to tapping into that side of their brains and personalities.

More than 30 episodes have been filmed. Most or all have been uploaded and are on YouTube. They record out of Troge’s kitchen and record 4-6 episodes a week.

Most weeks have and will continue to carry a theme, so it is best to watch the episodes in order by number of the episode, they said.

Thus far, the two cooks have covered a week each of sandwiches, salads, Father’s Day, Fourth of July, Dog Days of Summer, (without using the stove or oven), and Don’t Be … dishes.

Although geared toward children, there is information and entertainment for people of all ages.

Here is the link to their YouTube channel.